Furniture-caster.



1. F. VICH.

FURNITURE CASTER.

FILED MAR-18 l6- Patented July 11, 1916.

M #4 Z 12 Z .rrb.

JAMES E. VICH, OF JACKSON, MINNESOTA.

- ruarvrrnnn oasrnn Application filed March 18, 1916.

Jackson, in the county of Jackson, State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Furniture-Caster; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in furniture casters, and has for its object toprovide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby it will roll easily upon a thick carpet and always move easily without binding or stick- Further objects of the invention are to provide a furniture caster of this character which is comparatively simple and ineXpensive in its construction, which has all the advantages of a large roller without lifting the article of furniture an objectionable dis tance above the surface of the floor, which will roll easily at all times and upon all kinds of surfaces, and which has no delicate parts to break or get out of repair.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combina tions and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a furniture caster constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the same as applied to the leg of an article of furniture. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same. Fig. 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional view showing a modified form of the invention.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a fork which has the arms thereof curved laterally and downwardly, in the usual manner, the downturned arms of the fork having openings near their extremi- Specification of Letters Patent.

that of the spindle 3.

opening to receive a cotter-pin 11.

Patented .nu ii, rare.

Serial No. 85,032.

ties to receive the shaft 2, while the base of the fork is secured to the lower end of a spindle 3. A bearing plate a is secured to the spindle 3 just above the base of the fork 1, said bearing plate being provided with an annular raceway to receive the balls 5. A sleeve 6 fits loosely over the spindle 3, the

bore thereof having a diameter larger than The lower end of the sleeve 6 carries a bearing plate 7 which rests upon the balls 5 and cooperates therewith to center the lower end of the spindle 3 within the sleeve 6. The upper end of the sleeve'6 is provided with a spacing collar 8 which holds the spindle 3 properly spaced therein, while a nut 9 is threaded upon the upper extremity of the spindle to retain the bearing sleeve in position. This bearing sleeve 6 is applied to the article of furniture in the usual manner, the spindle 3 being free to rotate therein and the balls 5 which are interposed. between the bearing plates 4 and 7 receiving the thrust due to the weight of the article of furniture and preventing any binding as the spindle rotates within the bearing sleeve.

A small roller 10 is journaled upon the shaft 2 between the arms of the fork 1. The shaft 2 is preferably removable and, in the present instance, one end thereof is shown as provided with a head 2 while the opposite end thereof is formed with a lateral The small roller 10 is arranged within a large hollow roller 12, the sides of the hollow roller being formed with large openings 13 of such a size that the distance between the edges of the openings and the periphery of the roller is less than the radius of the small roller 10.

Secured to the inner faces of the arms 1 of the fork are dust excluding plates 1 1 which fit against the sides of the large hollow roller 12 and are of a suflicient size to extend over the large openings 13 and prevent dust and dirt from entering the same.

The furniture is supported by the small roller 10, and the large hollow roller 12 serves to provide a continuous metal track upon which the small roller 10 rolls when the furniture is moved. The small roller thus travels at all times upon a hard smooth surface, while the large hollow roller 12 revolves upon the floor to provide a continuous track for the small roller. The large roller will move readily over a thick carpet having a long pile, whereas the small roller could only be moved over such a carpet with I extreme difliculty. With the present con- :are provided with annular raceways to pro- ,vide balls 15, said ballsengaging the inner faces of the sides of the hollow roller 12 to Y eliminate the friction between the same and prevent binding, Under some conditions s'uch 'ai construction would be very advantageous.

Having thus described the invention, .what

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:- I V V 1. A1 furniture caster including a fork, a shaft connecting the arms of the fork, a small roller journaled upon the shaft, and a large hollow roller inclosing the small roller, thesides of the large hollow roller being formed of openings of such a size that the distance between the edges of the opening and the periphery of the roller is less than the radius of the small roller, the large roller providing a continuous track upon'which the small roller moves.

2. A furniture caster including a fork, a shaft connecting the arms of the fork, a small roller journaled upon the shaft, a large hollow roller inclosing the small roller and having shaft receiving openings in the sides thereof of such a size that the distance between the edges of the openings and the periphery of the roller is less than the radius of the small roller, the large roller providing a continuous track upon which the small roller rolls, and dust excluding plates applied to the arms of the fork and fitting against the sides of the large roller to close the openings in the sides thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES F. VIGH.

Witnesses:

T. S. KNOX, Jos. J. PRIBYL.

'Copies of thispatent inay be obtained for five cents each, by, addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

" Washington, D. C. 

